Snugger bolt



July 31, 1962 R. W. EARLE SNUGGER BOLT 2 Sheets-Shen 1 v Filed Jan. 8, 1960 1N V EN TUR. @6A/4g@ ff-AELE July 31, 1962 R. W. EARLE 3,047,320

SNUGGER BOLT Filed Jan. 8, 196C 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .@/cwae Mineu- United States Patent O 3,047,320 SNUGGER BOLT Richard W. Earle, 1224 Whitnall Highway, Burbank, Calif. Filed Jan. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 1,206 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-203) The present invention relates generally to door-latching hardware, and more specifically to a snugger bolt mechanism for the normally inactive door of a pair of double doors.

The exits and entrances of many buildings are provided with double doors. This .arrangement is -found in industrial, commercial, and other public buildings, and in dwellings as well. Frequently, as, for example, in public buildings, it is desired that one of these doors remain inactive so that -traic passes through only an active one -of the doors. Accordingly, a special latching mechanism must be provided for the inactive door to hold it closed against any but a deliberate opening force, or to hold it snugly against buieting by Ithe wind. Inactive door latches of this type are sometimes referred to as snugger bolts, and it is with this type of hardware that the present invention has to do. However, ralthough my `snugger bolt may find its greatest utility in a double-door arrangement, it will be apparent to those skilled in Ithe art vthat the mechanism may be included in a latching larrangement for single doors.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved snugger bolt latching arrangement for yieldably retaining an inactive door in a closed position.

Another object of the invention is Ito provide a snugger bolt mechanism that can be employed, without modification, on either the upper or lower corner of an inactive door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snugger bolt mechanism that can be fully recessed within a mortise formed in a corner of an inactive door, whereby the mechanism is substantially fully concealed fromview when in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a snugger bolt -mechanism comprising an assembly of a small number of extremely `simplified parts, the whole being adapted to give a long service life.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the lfollowing description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is =a fragmentary perspective view showing portions of a pair of doors incorporating a preferred embodiment of thel invention, the doors being illustrated in closed position and portions of the illustrated parts being cut away to show interior details of construction;

FIGURE 2 is a partial elevational view of the inactive door in FIGURE l, as viewed from the inside of the door opening, a portion of the door being cut away to dis-l close interior parts of the snugger bolt mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the parts of the snugger bolt mechanism in another position; I l

IFIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on -the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2; Y

FIGURE 4a is a sectional View on the line 4a-4a of FIGURE 4; FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3 `and showing the position of one of the snugger bolts when the inactive door is unlatched;

FIGURE 6 is -a vertical sectional view through the snugger bolt mechanism and showing the relation of the other of the snugger'boltswhen the inactive door is unlatched but in closed position in the door' opening;

FIGURE 7 is a viewsimilar to FIGURE 5 but showice ing the position of the first-mentioned snugger bolt when the inactive door is latched;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing the position of the other snugger bolt when the inactive door is latched;

FIGURE 9 is an exploded perspective view of a snugger bolt and mounting means; and

FIGURE l() is a perspective view of 'an actuating member for the pair of snugger bolts.

yIn the drawings, it will be understood that an inactive door 11 and an active door 12 are hung within the same opening. Referring to FIGURE l, a portion only of the framing for the door opening is shown, consisting of a horizontally extending header 13 to which a conventionally disposed 4door stop 14 is fastened. The doors 11 and 12 are shown in closed positions in FIGURE 1 and it will be understood that the door 11 is hinged to the left as viewed in the ligure while the door 12 is hinged to the right as viewed in the ligure. The arrangement is such .that the doors are swung towards the viewer from the plane of the perspective for opening.

In FIGURE l my snugger bolt mechanism is illustrated as mortised into the upper corner of the inactive door 11 and cooper-ating elements are also disposed within the header assembly and the confronting free edge of the active door 12. If desired, a pair of identical snugger bolt assemblies may be utilized for each inactive door, one of which is mounted in the upper corner of the door, as shown in FIGURE 1, and the other of which is mounted in the lower corner of the Ifree edge of the inactive door. The construction and mode of opera-tion of the snugger bolt lassembly will be described only with reference to the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, but it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that precisely the same construction and mode of operation will apply to a snugger bolt assembly placed in the lower corner of the free edge of an inactive door.

rIn general, the assembly comprises a strike box 15 mounted in the header 13, a striker plate 16 mounted in the lfree edge of the active door 12, and a casing 17 recessed within a suitable mortise cut into the upper edge of the inactive door 11. A pair of identical bolts 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted in the opposite legs of the casing 17. Both of these bolts are normally biased inwardly of the casing 17 to cammingly engage opposite arms of a pivot-ally mounted member 20.

More specifically, the casing 17 is of generally L-shaped conguration, having a pair of identical legs 21, and is symmetrical in plan view about an axis equally dividing the angle included between the pair of legs. For reinforcing the legs 21, a triangularly shaped integrally formed web 22 is disposed in the corner of the casing 17. As can be seen in FIGURE 4, this web is positioned in one lside of the casing 17 but offset slightly inwardly `from the plane of the adjacent edges of the legs 21. Along its base edge the web 22 has an integral upstanding wall 23, which defines a cavity 24 with the inner `faces of the apex portions of the legs 21.

The member 20 is `somewhat Y-shaped in configuration, as seen in FIGURE 10, being formed at one end with a pair of oppositely extending arms 25. At its other end the member 20 has a bore 26 extending therethrough by means of which the member can be pivotally journaled on a stud 27 extending upwardly from the floor of the cavity 24. At its upper end this stud is tapped to receive a screw 28 whose enlarged head retains the member 20 in place within the cavity 24.

The stud 27 is centered on the bisector of the angle included between the casing legs 21, adjacent the apex of the angle. On the opposite side of the stud 27 from this apex that side of the web 22 defining lthe iloor of the cavity 24 is formed with a pair of substantially hemispherical notches 31, whose centers are disposed on opposite sides of the bisector of the angle and whose surfaces merge along the bisector. The centers of the notches 31 are disposed along an arc whose center is coincident with the pivot axis of the member and a detent means is provided in the member 20 for yieldably retaining the member in either of two positions corresponding to the positions of the notches 31.

The member 20 has a somewhat conically shaped boss at the junction of the pair of arms 25 and this boss is lformed with a pocket 32 which is centered on the axis of symmetry of the member 20. At its upper end, as viewed in FIGURE 4, the pocket 32 is formed with a downwardly facing annular shoulder 33 against which one end of a coil spring 34 abuts. A pin 35 having a downwardly pointing, substantially hemispherical head is slidably receivable through the lower end of the pocket 32. A narrow stem 36 defines an upwardly facing shoulder with the head of `the pin 35, against which the lower end of the spring 34 abuts. The spring 34 biases the pin against the :door of the cavity 24 and into yieldable latching engagement with one or the other of the notches 31. It will be noted that the pin 35 and notches 31 have a camming engagement and the spring 34 has sui'lcient force to snap 'the pin into one or the other of the notches when the pin overrides the line of merger of the notches, thus giving a snap action to `the member 20.

The bolts 18 and 19 are mounted in the casing 17 for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to one or the other of the casing legs 21. As is shown in FIGURE 9, each bolt is formed with a pair of parallel, substantially semicircular ears 38 having aligned bores for the reception of a shaft 39. The shaft 39 'for each bolt is mounted immediately Ibeneath and parallel to one of the casing legs 21, opposite ends of the shaft 39 being supported within a blind bore 40 and a through bore 41 formed in enlarged portions of the casing 17. These two bores are coaxial and disposed on opposite sides of an opening 42 formed in each leg 21 of the casing 17 and an adjacent portion of the casing web 22.

'Ihe bolts 18 and 19 are swingable through the openings 42. A torsion spring 43 has its center coiled around the shaft 39 for each bolt and has one end 44 received in a groove 45 formed in a strike face 46 of the bolt. The other end 47 of each torsion spring is bent to lie against the back side of the casting web 22. Thus, each bolt is biased inwardly of its opening 42 and into engagement with one of the arms 25 of the member 20.

Both bolts have a cam face 48 biased against -a cam surface 49 Iformed on the exterior of each arm 25 of the member 20. These cam surfaces are adapted to translate retracting movement of one bolt into extending movement of the other -bolt through the medium of pivotal movement of the member 20. In addition, each of the bolts has a curved :face 50 whose center of curvature is coincident with the axis of the shaft 39 and having a radius of curvature less than the depth of the cavity 24, so that the bolts will not bind against the side of the mortise in which the casing 17 is mounted.

In putting this hardware on a double door, a suitable mortise is rst cut in a corner of the free edge of the inactive door, for example, the upper corner of the inactive door 11 in FIGURE 1. Each leg 21 of the casing 17 is provided with a pair of spaced countersunk holes 51 adapted to receive wood screws 52 yfor holding the casing 17 in place. In placing the casing 17 in the inactive door, the only precaution that need be taken is to make sure that the strike faces 46 of the bolts face in the same direction as the direction of opening movement of the inactive door.

The strike box 15 and striker plate 16 are then mounted in the header 13 and in the free edge of the active door 12, respectively, and in alignment with the upper bolt 18 and lower bolt 19, respectively. 'Ihe strike box 15 has a base flange 53 which is set flush -with the surface of the header and has a central walled opening 54 4 within which the bolt 18 is receivable when the bolt 18 is in raised position. The striker plate 16 is set ilush with the edge of the active door 12 in horizontally extending position tand both the plate 16 and box 15 are held in position by suitable screw fasteners 55.

Referring now to FIGURE l, the inactive door 11 is shown in its normally closed position. It will be understood that the free edge of the active door 12 is provided with a suitable latching doorknob by means of which the active door 12 can be opened and closed on the door 11, the inactive door normally remaining in closed position. Thus, the bolt 18 normally protrudes upwardly into the strike box 15 with its strike face 46 against a wall of the box, being held in that position by engagement of the pin 35 with the corresponding one of the detent notches 31. The other bolt 19 is biased by its torsion spring 43 inwardly of its opening 42 against an arm of the member 20 and out of the way of movement of the active door 12.

Assuming the active door 12 to be opened, and that it is now desired to open the inactive door 11, this can be accomplished merely by applying an outwardly directed force on the inactive door. As a result of such force the strike face l46 is pivoted by an edge of the strike-box opening 54. The bolt 18 is thus forced downwardly into the casing 17 and cams the member 20 to induce corresponding outward-swinging movement of the bolt 19. When the pin 35 engages the other one of the detent notches 31, further movement of the bolts 18 and 19 is arrested. The bolt 18 will then be fully received within its opening 42 while the other bolt 19 will protrude outwardly of its opening 42.

Assuming both doors to be opened, when it is desired to close the entryway the inactive door 11 is rst moved to closed position until it abuts the door stop 14. This condition is shown in FIGURE 6, and it will be observed that the bolt 18 is still in retracted position within the casing 17. The active `door 12 is then swung towards closed position, whereby its striker plate I6 engages the strike face 46 of the bolt 19. 'I'his causes inward movement of the bolt 19 as shown in FIGURE 7, and lthis movement of the bolt 19 is transmitted through the member 20 into upward movement -of the bolt 18, which then engages a wall of the strike box 15.

Although I have illustrated and described but a single embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not mean to be limited to the details of construction herein set forth, but only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing; a bolt mounted on said casing for movement through the plane of a face of said casing between extended and retracted positions, said bolt in extended position protruding outwardly of said casing and in retracted position being disposed within said casing; means to yieldably bias said bolt 'into retracted position; a member movably mounted in said casing against which said bolt is biased; a resiliently mounted detent means for said member to yieldably hold said member in either of two positions corresponding to extended and retracted positions of said bolt; and means for moving said member between said positions to cause said member to move said bolt between extended and retracted positions.

2. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of angularly related faces; a pair of bolts each of which is mounted on said casing for movement through the plane of one of said faces between extended and fully retracted positions; means on said casing for .translating inward movement to fully retracted position of one of said bolts through the plane of its face into outward movement of the other of said bolts through the plane of the other of said faces; and means yieldably biasing said bolts inwardly of said casing against said movement translating means.

3. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of angularly related faces; a pair of bolts each of which is mounted on said casing for movement through the plane of one of s-aid faces; means to yieldably bias each of said bolts to a position within said casing; a member in said casing engaged with both of said bolts for translating inward movement of either of said bolts into outw-ard movement of the other of said bolts; and a means associated with said member to yieldably retain said member in either of two positions, said member in a rst position maintaining one of said bolts in a position extending outwardly of said casing when the other of said bolts is within said casing, and said member in the other position maintaining-the other of said bolts in a position extending outwardly of said casing when said one bolt is within said casing.

4. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of angularly related faces; a pair of bolts each of which is mounted on said casing for movement through the plane of one of said faces between extended and retracted positions, said bolts in extended position protruding youtwardly of said casing and in retracted position being disposed within said casing; means to yieldably bias both of said bolts into retracted position; a member movably mounted in said casing against which both of said bolts are biased for transla-ting retracting m-ovement of one of said bolts into extending movement of the other of said bolts; and a snap-action detent means associated with said member to yieldably retain said member in either of two positions, said member in either position maintaining one of said bolts in extended position and the other of said bolts in retracted posi-tion.

5. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of perpendicular faces; a pair of bolts pivotally mounted in said casing for movement through the planes of said faces and having substantially coplanar pivot `axes that are perpendicular to one another; a spring means for each of said bolts to normally bias said bolts to retracted positions within said casing; a member movably mounted in said casing and against which both of said bolts are biased, said member and said bolts having cam engagements -to translate retracting movement of one of said bolts into movement of said member to -cause extending movement of the other said bolts; and a detent means in said casing and member to yieldably retain said member in either of two positions, said member in either position maintaining one of said bolts in extended position land the other of said bolts in retracted position.

6. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of perpendicular faces; a pair of bolts each of which is mounted on said casing for movement through the plane of one of said faces; a spring means for each of said bolts to normally bias said bolts to retracted positions within said casing; a member pivotally mounted at one end in said casing and having at its other end a pair of arms, each of said bolts being biased into contact with one of said arms and having a cam engagement with said arm whereby retracting movement of either of said bolts causes pivotal movement of said member to cause extending movement of the other of said bolts, said arms being spaced apart a distance to maintain one of said bolts in retracted position within said cas-ing when the other bolt is in an extended posi-tion protruding outwardly of said casing; and a detent means in said casing and member to yieldabbl retain said member in either of two positions, said member in either position maintaining one of said bolts in extended position andthe other of said bolts in retracted position.

7. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of perpendicular faces; a pair off bolts pivotally mounted in said casing for movement through the planes of said faces and having substantially coplanar pivot axes perpendicular to one another; a spring means for each of said bolts to normailly bias said bolts to retracted positions within said casing; a member pivotally mounted at one end in said casing on a pivot axis normal 'to the plane of the axes of said bolts and on the bisector of the ang-le included between said bolt axes, said member having at its other end a pair of arms, each of said bolts being biased into contact with one of said arms -and having a cam engagement with said arm whereby retracting movement of either of said bolts causes pivotal movement of said member to cause extending movement of the other of said bolts, said arms being spaced apart ya distance to maintain one of said b'olts in retracted position within said casing when the other bolt is in an extended position protruding outwardly of said casing; and detent means in said casing and member to yieldably retain said member in either of two positions, said member in either position maintaining one of said bolts in extended position and the other of said bolts in retracted position.

8. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of angularly related faces; a pair of bolts each of which is mounted on said casing for movement through the plane of one of said faces between extended and retracted positions, said bolts in extended posi-tion protruding outwardly of said casing and in retracted position being disposed within said casing; means to yieldably bias both said bolts into retracted position; a member movably mounted in said casing and against which both of said bolts are biased for translating retracting movement of one of said bolts into extending movement of the other of said bolts; and a pin slidably mounted in a pocket formed in said member and yieldably biased against a surface of said casing, said surface having a merging pair of notches in which said pin is receivable to yieldably maintain said member in either of two positions, said member in either position maintaining one of said bolts in extended position and the other of said bolts in retracted position, said pin yand notches having `a cam engagement whereby movement -of said pin yover the line of merger of said notches causes said pin to snap into one of said notches to snap said member into a corresponding position.

9. In a door latch, the combination comprising: a casing having a pair of perpendicular legs and a triangularly shaped reinforcing web in the yapex area of said legs alongside a common edge of said legs; a pair of bolts each of which .is mounted in la notch formed in one of said legs for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to said leg, said bolts being equidistantly spaced from the apex of said legs and having substantially coplanar pivot axes; -a torsion spring means for each of said bolts to normally bias said bolts to retracted positions within Said casing; 4a member having one end Iadjacent the apex of said legs that is pivotally connected to said web on a pivot axis normal to the plane of said web and on the bisector of the `angle included between said legs, said member at its end away from said apex having a pair of arms, each of said bolts being biased into contact with one of said arms and having a cam engagement with said `arm whereby retracting movement of either of said bolts causes pivotal movement of said member to cause extending movement of the other of said bolts, said arms -being spaced apart a distance to maintain one of said bolts in retracted position in said casing when the other bolt is in an extended position protruding outwardly from said casing; ya pin slidably mounted in 'a pocket formed in said member at the junction of said arms, said pocket also containing a spring yieldably biasing said pin -against said web, said web having a merging pair of substantially hemispherical notches in which a hemispherical head of said pin is receivable to yieldably maintain said member in either of two positions, said member in either position maintaining lone of said bolts in extended position and the other of said `bolts in retracted position, said notches of said web having a line of merger `along Ithe bisector of the angle included between said casing legs, said piu and notches having a cam engagement whereby movement of said pin over said line of 4merger causes said pin to snap into one of said notches to snap said member into a corresponding position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Feige Jan. 11, 1876 Wollensak Apr. 24, 1888 Biery Apr. 1, 1890 Smith June 29, 1920 

